Prevalence And Factors Associated With Internet Addiction Among Adolescents In Malaysia

Aims / Background: Internet addiction (IA) among adolescents has become an important health problem as it is associated with many negative consequences if not prevented early. The adolescence is a vulnerable subgroup as they are digital natives with wide exposure to the internet and are at high risk of initiation of addictive behaviour. Therefore, early detection of IA in this subgroup is important for early intervention. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with IA among adolescents in the primary care setting in Malaysia. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study done among adolescents aged 10 to 19 years of age in 15 primary care clinics throughout Malaysia using the validated Malay version of Internet Addiction Test (IAT). Sampling was done using systematic random sampling method. IA is defined as IAT score test of more or equal to 43 points. Respondents that score less than 43 points are classified as non-internet addicts. Results: A total of 921 participants were included in this study. The male population was 49.5% (n=456) with mean age of 16.38±2.38 years. The prevalence of IA was 56.4% (n=519). The significant predictors of IA were age (p < 0.001;CI 1.09-1.29), mother’s high education level (p = 0.001;CI 1.61-5.99) and having a smartphone (p = 0.012;CI 1.23-5.25). Conclusion: This study showed that there is a high prevalence of IA among adolescents in Malaysia